Valerii V. Shykhov

Junior Sergeant Valeriy Shikhov was killed on September 22, 2022, in a battle with the occupiers near the village of Berestove in the Donetsk region. In August, the warrior turned 48 years old. Valeriy was born and lived in the city of Snyatyn in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. He was passionate about sports in school and held the title of candidate for master of sports in orienteering. After graduating from Snyatyn boarding school, he obtained a specialty as an auto mechanic at Chernivtsi Vocational School No. 6. In 1993, he was drafted into the Ukrainian army. After completing his service, he opened a workshop for repairing refrigerators and washing machines with his older brother. Valeriy established himself as a responsible and diligent craftsman. He loved nature and animals very much, always carrying food for stray cats and dogs. He was also good at playing chess. On February 24, 2022, he went to the military enlistment office without waiting for a summons. After 4 days, he joined the ranks of defenders. He became a shooter in the 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade "Edelweiss." "Always sincere, kind, and not talkative. He rarely got angry and solved all problems with a smile... In 1996, he started a family and raised two sons. He built a house, planted a garden, and played with his little grandson... He began the morning with a cup of coffee and a game of chess with me. He called it 'checkmate before coffee' to stimulate his mind. When he heard the terrible news on February 24, 2022, he did not wait for a summons. He went to the military enlistment office himself. He defended Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions. In May, their unit was redeployed to the East. Valeriy defended Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk in heavy battles. He recounted that there was no weapon that did not fire at them... But he never complained... Every conversation always ended with the words: 'Everything will be fine!'. He repeatedly saved his comrades on the battlefield, providing them with medical assistance. He also helped evacuate the wounded and carried out the bodies of fallen friends. At the end of summer 2022, he came home on leave. He was happy that they managed to keep the war out of their homeland. On August 22, he returned to the front lines — near Bakhmut, where he was killed," said the warrior's wife, Lyudmyla. The defender was buried in his hometown. Valeriy is survived by his mother, wife, sons, daughter-in-law, and grandson. He was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage III degree.